Craft Beer First, Wine Very Much Second
Peoria Heights · Peoria · Euramerican Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Publik House is a genuinely good gastropub — cozy, casual, the kind of place you're happy to land on a Friday night. The wine list, though, reads like an afterthought stapled to a beer menu that clearly got all the love. Three recognizable names, safe regions, nothing that suggests anyone spent more than twenty minutes curating it.
What we have here is a California cab, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and an Italian Pinot Grigio — three wines that could have been selected by asking Siri for 'popular wines.' Rodney Strong, The Crossings, and FINI are all perfectly drinkable, widely distributed bottles you'd find at any mid-tier grocery store. There's no depth, no regional adventure, no attempt to surprise. The list covers the bases for the wine drinker who just wants something familiar, but it offers nothing for anyone looking to explore.
Pours start at $7, which sounds reasonable until you clock that the Rodney Strong Cab retails for $15 and they're charging $35 for the bottle — a 133% markup that stings. We don't have a confirmed glass count, but based on the bottles listed, you're choosing from a very short bench. Rotation doesn't appear to be a thing here.
The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc — $7/glass
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is reliably crisp and crowd-friendly, and at $7 a glass it's the least painful option on this list. It's the right call if you're here for the food and want something cold and clean.
FINI Pinot Grigio
Nobody orders Pinot Grigio at a gastropub, which is exactly why it might be your move. Light, easy-drinking, and better suited to the flatbreads and lighter pub bites than anything else on the list. Don't overthink it.
Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon
At $35 a bottle, you're paying more than double retail for a $15 grocery store Cab. It's not a bad wine, but the markup is hard to justify when you could buy two bottles at Walmart on the way home.
The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc + Flatbread
The Crossings has enough citrus and herbaceous snap to cut through the richness of a cheesy flatbread without competing with it. It's a simple pairing, but it works — and sometimes that's all you need.
❌ The Bottom Line
The Publik House is a solid spot for a craft beer and a burger — but if wine is your thing, you'll be paying too much for too little. Order the beer.
Downtown · Peoria · Hotel Steakhouse
Oak & Prime is a reliable pour for a classic steakhouse night — safe, familiar, and priced accordingly steep. Don't come hunting for discovery, but know that the bones are solid if you stick to the right bottles.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Peoria · Peoria · Seafood
Red Lobster's wine list does exactly what corporate intended: give guests something recognizable to order without scaring anyone off. If you calibrate expectations accordingly — and let the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling do the heavy lifting — you won't be miserable. But you won't be talking about the wine on the drive home either.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Peoria · Peoria · Steakhouse
LongHorn Peoria is a fine place to eat a steak; it is not a fine place to drink wine. Order a cocktail or a beer, enjoy your ribeye, and save the wine night for somewhere that actually cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Peoria · Peoria · Steakhouse
Jim's isn't trying to win a wine award, and it doesn't need to — the list is honest, fairly priced by steakhouse standards, and built to serve the room. If you're in Peoria and want a proper steak with a decent bottle, this is where you go.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Peoria · Peoria · Italian
Rizzi's is a perfectly nice neighborhood Italian spot, and we have no notes on the food — but the wine program is an afterthought with five California bottles and no pricing transparency. Order a cocktail or bring your own if corkage is an option.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Peoria · Peoria · Steakhouse / American
Alexander's isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — and at $12–$15 for a decent pour of Decoy or Duckhorn while you grill your own steak, there's nothing to complain about. Come for the experience, drink something familiar, and leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.